Monday, December 3, 2012

GUEST BLOG and Giveaway: NICOLE MACDONALD

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Nicole will be awarding a $50.00 gift card – Amazon or Barnes & Noble, winners choice, to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

A writing quirk

Every writer has them! My quirk (which I’m really very sure is totally normal to all other writers out there) is to talk aloud through scenes. And even when not making a sound, I’m running through the expressions and mouthing the words. In short, I method write. To assist this quirk, I like to do as much hands on research as possible (sometimes tricky with a fantasy novel – anyone got a pet dragon I can borrow??) and with writing the BirthRight trilogy this has proved an interesting experience and included:

Six months of long sword training combined with bare knuckle boxing and general self defense.

Brazilian ju-jitsu lessons.

Flying experience (by way of some horrid ride on the Gold Coast Australia that scared the crap outta me – heights are NOT my friend!)

Numerous documentaries on all variety of critters both current and extinct.

And a variety of other quirky occurrences that I was able to relate back to my writing in some way *grin*.

When I’m drafting I go through the emotions, working it out in my mind and feeling my body’s response to it, fear, fright, excitement, love, anger and lust. And while I work through these emotions it plays out all too obvious on my glass-like face. This has proved problematic at times…
Such as the time at the café, whilst working through some *ahem* intimate scenes, I glanced up to discover a middle-aged man a couple of tables away rather enamored with the come ‘hither expression I was all too obviously displaying…

Or the time my partner walked into my writing room to discover me bawling my eyes out, surrounded by tissues, while banging away at the keyboard. Actually he’s seen this rather a few times and now knows to slowly back away and close the door. I play act out scenes while walking my dog in the bush and while driving in the car and music really gets me in the mood *lol*. For me, this little writing quirk brings the world I write that much closer and that in turn helps to suck the reader into that world.

About the Author:

Nicole MacDonald is the Independent author of The Arrival and Awakening, the first two books in the BirthRight Trilogy. Writing had never been a lifelong dream for her until she began The Arrival, but it now is an all-consuming passion.

A proud Kiwi (New Zealander) Nicole dreams that one day Peter Jackson will be in touch to option the film rights for the BirthRight Trilogy. When she's not daydreaming about that she's working on book three in the trilogy - Feel the Burn, available December 2012 - and planning future works.

Four friends in the midst of a man drought cast a love spell on a whim, unexpectedly landing them on another planet.

Oops.

On a foreign and often hostile world, love teeters on the horizon while the threat of civil war looms thanks to the girls' surprising gifts. Will the girls master these gifts in time to survive a war in which not only are they the ultimate weapons, but also the ultimate prize?

Hi Debby :) - yes it does, it also helps to clarify the details and develop them to show the reader more.

Hi Ingeborg - yeah, I didn't love it so much *lol* discovered I actually can't even scream during those sort of things, the breath whooshes out my lungs in shock ;p Makes it quieter for my other half I guess...

And for those that didn't notice, The Arrival is available FREE for download almost everywhere!! For those with Kindles in the UK, I recommend downloading it from Smashwords as UK Amazon hasn't price matched it.

First off, LOVE your books. I actually got a few of my friends to read them, and they are just about as excited as I am for 'Feel the Burn' to come out.

I have to say, what a great way to do research....some writers I read just talk to people they know that already know how to do these things, you go a step and beyond to actually go out there and try these things out personally. And you overcome your fears (heights) or try to at least.